THEME SONG NOMINATIONS FOR BOOMERPDX HALL OF FAME

Pearl and candles. Image via DG Studios with assistance from J & J.

If not the best summation of a generation, the Traveling Wilbury’s ‘End Of The Line’ weaves a poignant picture.

For a theme song that’s a pretty good combination.

It’s not a Billy Joel history lesson with ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire,‘ though that would be a fine nomination, too.

Instead, End Of The Line feels like a personal take on aging, especially with the missing Wilbury’s.

A BoomerPdx Hall of Fame theme song needs the history and the personal, like Don McLean’s ‘American Pie.’

What makes End Of The Line the best nomination is the repetition of “Well it’s all right.”

Who doesn’t need a little affirmation that it’s all right, that it’ll be all right.

Even if you know better, telling someone it’ll be all right helps.

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, doing the best you can
Well it’s all right, as long as you lend a hand

Lend a hand when you see the chance, when it matters.

Make a difference for someone else if you never have.

Be the surprise they never expected.

You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring (End of the Line)
Waiting for someone to tell you everything (End of the Line)
Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring (End of the Line)
Maybe a diamond ring

The beauty here is the reference to wish in one hand, do something else with the other, and see which one fills up first.

Maybe an unintentional reference, maybe it’s just me, but that two handed things always makes me laugh.

Well it’s all right, even if they say you’re wrong
Well it’s all right, sometimes you gotta be strong
Well it’s all right, As long as you got somewhere to lay
Well it’s all right, everyday is Judgment Day

Judgement Day works for me, but everyday? Man, that’s pressure to do the right thing.

It’s also a habit, like doing the wrong thing.

Just turn it around a little each day and you pass.

Maybe somewhere down the road aways (End of the Line)
You’ll think of me, wonder where I am these days (End of the Line)
Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays (End of the Line)
Purple haze

Purple Rain, or purple haze. Prince and Jimi.

The greats take it to the end of the line.

Why did it have to end so early?

Well it’s all right, even when push comes to shove
Well it’s all right, if you got someone to love
Well it’s all right, everything’ll work out fine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

If you’ve got someone to love, and they love you right back, you’re golden.

Why wouldn’t everything work out fine for both of you?

You know the answer, but it’s all right to start with hope. It’s all right. It’s the right way.

Don’t have to be ashamed of the car I drive (End of the Line)
I’m glad to be here, happy to be alive (End of the Line)
It don’t matter if you’re by my side (End of the Line)
I’m satisfied

Happy is good. More than happy is dicey. How do you get to more than happy?

Some say ‘better’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ As in, “Why screw up a good thing?”

Hold happiness tight, it’s a wiggly thing.

Well it’s all right, even if you’re old and gray
Well it’s all right, you still got something to say
Well it’s all right, remember to live and let live
Well it’s all right, the best you can do is forgive

Old and gray? Something to say?

The Traveling Wilbury’s sound like bloggers, which is why their’s is the best theme song for BoomerPdx.

Live and let live? The best you do is forgive? Words to live everyday by.

Ask for forgiveness and forgive others. You know the prayer about trespassing and trespassers.

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, even if the sun don’t shine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

In Oregon we know all about days when the sun don’t shine. And breeze. We know about breeze.

The real work is living the life you please.

That happens when you say it happens.

Is it happening yet?